Harry Potter and Dudley at the Train Station
by 123irish
Summary: If you've read the Story of Dudley then this is the follow up one shot. Harry isn't the only one to have children going to Hogwarts nineteen years later.


A much thinner but still unmistakably Dudley Dursley stood nervously in front of the wall that led to platform 9 ¾, his 11 yr old son David and his 10 yr old brother Daniel staring up at their father expectantly. Giving a slight cough, their mother stepped forward and taking David gently by the arm escorted him, his cat (Trevor) and his trolley though the wall and onto the platform proper. Daniel appeared a minute later leading a scared looking Dudley by the hand.

Ron elbowed Harry hard in the ribs and nodded towards the front of the train. Harry had heard about Dudley marrying a witch (they exchanged Christmas and birthday cards), but this was the first time he had seen any of his "family" since the night he turned seventeen. Harry tapped Hermione lightly on the shoulder, while Ron got the attention of his wife, Lavender Weasley nee Brown, with a gentle kiss on the cheek. All four watched as a nervous looking Dudley looked around to find his wife and other son, and made his way over to them. Harry and Hermione gathered up there three kids, James Sirius (11), Emma Lilith (10), and Rose Ginerva (8), told Ron and Lavender they'd see them later at their home and made their way towards Dudley and his family.

Dudley didn't notice until the Potters were within five or six feet, and he started to get defensive until he notice who was approaching. With a wan smile Dudley straightened his back and squared his shoulders and took a step forward to greet his cousin. As Dudley extended his hand to shake, he was surprised as Harry took the offered hand and drew him into a hug. Dudley visibly relaxed and gladly returned the hug. Dudley broke the manly embrace first and stepped back to introduce his family to Harry's. After the introductions and James and David had been safely put on the train, Hermione reminding James to listen to Haggrid when they get off the train and to tell Uncle Neville that they expect him and Hannah over for dinner soon, Harry asked Dudley and Penny if they would like to grab a cupa before heading home. "What about the children" Penny asked, and after asking Emma and Rose if they would like to see their cousins home and getting a yes from all three (Daniel included) Harry called for Dooby. With a "POP" Dooby appeared, "Master Harry Sir what can Dooby do for you"? "Dooby, I need you to take the kids to their cousins' house for a while and please ask Winky if she would mind watching them until we've had a chance to talk". "Not a problem Master Harry Sir, Dooby and Winky be happy to looking after the young ones for a bit. Please let us know when they is needing to come home". "Thank you Dooby, we will". The families stood and watched the Hogwarts Express disappear into the distance and then with a "POP" Dobby and the children were gone, and the two couples exited to the Mundane side of the station. "That's quite a loyal house elf you have their Harry" Penny said as they found seats at a coffee shop just outside the station. "Yes he is, but he's more than a house elf he and Winky really are our friends". "But enough about us right now, we would love to hear how you guys got together". Dudley smiled nervously and taking his wife's hand began to tell Harry and Hermione what had happened after his family had left #4 Privot Drive. How Mum and Dad had still been suspicious of the people who were transporting them to safety and that it wasn't until they entered the new house for the first time and found all their old stuff placed exactly where it was supposed to be that his parents started to believe a little more. Then he told them that when they had read about the "gas explosion" that had leveled their old home Petunia had actually broken down in tears and wept for her sister and the safety of her Nephew. All four had to take a moment to compose themselves after that part, and this allowed Dudley to ask Harry what had happened after they had left the house. Harry told them that shortly after they had gone; his friends (here he squeezed Hermione's hand) had shown up to help in his escape. As they had left the house Voldemort's forces had attacked them and in the resulting battle one of their friends lost an ear and another had lost their life. With his eyes filling with tears Harry told Dudley that Hedwig had also been killed that night. Dudley sat in silence for a moment before he asked Harry if he knew that since the incident with the Dementors that Dudley had been leaving bacon and other scraps of food out for Harry's owl and that he really was sorry to hear of her death. Harry thanked him and asked Dudley to please continue the story. Dudley continued with telling how it turned out that Dad (Vernon) was actually the one with a green thumb, and how he really liked gardening and ended up planting several small crops and would sell the leftovers at the local Farmers Market on the weekends. As Mom (Petunia) was exceptional at organization, here Harry sighed and Dudley gave a small laugh remembering the kitchen in particular of the old house, was soon on several town boards and had even run for town Mayor once, she had lost but she had tried her best. He also told about how going to a new school where nobody knew him also meant that they didn't know that you don't mess with the "Big D", but after getting into a couple of fights and losing badly both times he had changed his ways and had not had another altercation since. Harry was then told that Dudley had made Mom and Dad enroll him in an anger management course and that with a little help from a therapist he learned to not only control his anger but identify the root cause of it as well (overindulgent parents with low self esteem), he'd come to terms with it. He apologized again for all that he had done to Harry over the years and Harry just waved him away saying that it was water under the bridge and that for him, if it had not been for Hermione he might still be that mad, angry little kid he'd been all those years ago.

Dudley continued on, telling Hermione and Harry how after school he had decided to go to college and within the first several weeks had run into (literally) Penny. Here Penny took up the tale telling them how for the next couple of weeks that even though they had no classes together her and Dudley continued to bump into one another. They decided to get a cup of coffee after classes one day and that's when she had told him about being a witch. She told Harry and Hermione that she was actually part of the contingent of students from Beauxbatons during the Tri-Wizard Tournament, and was glad to hear that the Tournament had been disallowed from ever taking place again. Penny told them of Dudley's surprise that she knew of Harry and was a little taken aback that Dudley did not know what a great deed Harry had done not only for the Wizarding World, but also for the Mundane as well. Dudley then told Harry that several months later, when he knew his feelings for Penny were something he would not be able to ignore, he broke down one night and told Penny everything that he and his parents had ever done to Harry growing up and that it wasn't until his epiphany with Harry and the Dementors that he had begun to understand the dangers that Harry had been speaking about for the last several years. Penny had not spoken to him for two weeks after that but when she did finally speak to him it was to let him know that she still cared for him but that they would have to start from the beginning and see if either was willing to continue with the relationship. At hearing this both couples smiled small smiles knowing that they had indeed wanted to remain together since they were all at the same table.

Hermione asked the question that was at the front of Harry's mind, how did Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia react learning that Dudley was dating a witch? Dudley looked sheepishly at Penny before letting Penny continue the story. Penny told them that it was at least six months before she got to meet her future in-laws and that while the first meeting went well they never told them that she was a witch. Even when they had all gotten together for the holidays in France Penny and Dudley asked her family to refrain from using magic until they could have a chance to explain to Dudley's parents. It wasn't until almost a year later, when Dudley proposed to Penny that they sat down with Vernon and Petunia that they told them that here was a very good chance that any children they had would be magical as she was a witch. The silence was overbearing until Petunia pushed herself out of the chair and embraced Penny and welcomed her to the family. Vernon was still Vernon, and as much as he had changed over the years he had also stayed the same as he had never completely gotten used to Magicals. It had taken several weeks of him probably sleeping on the couch for Vernon to finally congratulate his son and future daughter in-law. The wedding had been six months after that, and had been a small affair with just his parents and her family (mother, father and younger sister) in attendance.

It had taken place in France and had been a double ceremony with the French Minister for Magic (her Uncle Pierre Delecour) able to preside over both. Harry asked her if that meant that Fleur Delecour was her cousin and when Penny said yes Harry and Hermione laughed and told them that they had just seen Fleur, Bill and the kids about a week ago and that they should all try and get together over Christmas. Dudley and Penny agreed to that and looking at the clock decided that they really needed to get going. Before Harry called for Dobby and Winky Dudley asked to speak with him in private for a moment. Harry and Dudley walked outside and that's when Dudley pulled a sealed envelope from his pocket and handed it to Harry. He said it was from his Mom and that when she learned that David was going to Hogwarts this year she had given it to Dudley in the hopes that he would run into Harry and be able to pass it on. If he had not found Harry he was going to give the letter to David and have him give to James upon reaching Hogwarts. Dudley told Harry that he did not know what the letter said but hoped he would give her a chance as she had truly changed over the years. Harry, for his part, said that he would read it and depending on what it said he would respond to his Aunt, Dudley nodded as that was all he could ask of Harry. Harry called Dobby and asked if they could bring the children as it was time to go home, with the customary "POP" all three children appeared and after saying go bye to their Aunts and Uncles and pledging visit each other's homes the Families made their way to their respected homes.

After putting the kids to bed Hermione found Harry several hours later in the wing backed chair of his study with tears in his eyes and the letter clutched in his hand. She sat in the chair next to him and reached across and gently pulled the letter from his grasp, she began to read:

Dear Harry,

I use both those words knowing that the entire time you were with us that you never heard those words from either Vernon or myself and for that I am sorry. I am not asking for forgiveness as I see nothing we should be forgiven for. What I would like to ask is if you think that you could give a foolish old woman another chance to be the Aunt that she should have been all those years ago. I would like you to know that I was not always like that to you; I've included a photo that I wish you to keep of happier times between our families (the picture was of two couples, each with a child and each waving happily at the camera. It took several minutes before Harry realized that the picture was magic as it was moving and the couples seemed to be trying to get the babies to wave as well. For their part the babies seemed to be fine and were actually holding hands and when they would be separated they would try and get back together). I changed the morning I found you on our doorstep and read the letter that Dumbledore had included with you. I became angry, not that you were here, but that it meant that Lily was dead and that I would never have her in my life again. I got angry and the Magical World for taking my sister away from me and swore that they would never have you; I knew you were Magical simply because you were Lily and James' son. You reminded me of your parents every day, and every day it just got harder to live with, that's when we started calling you "boy" in the hopes that if we didn't use your name the hurt would go away… it never did until it was almost too late. The night the old house was destroyed I cried, not for the house, but for your parents and you. That was when I began to realize just exactly how precious all life was and that if you had not insisted that we leave that we would have been killed that night. I'm not sure if a "life debt" applies to the Mundane, but I am aware that this family owes you several that we will never be able to repay. I know I have no right to ask, but feel I must anyway, is there any chance that I can see and get to know my nephew and nieces? Thank you for destroying that monster and thus allowing someone as wonderful and nice as Penny to come into our lives, your Uncle Vernon was not on board in the beginning, but us Evans women have our ways of making our husbands see what's right. I truly am sorry Harry and I shoulder all the blame for what we did to you, I hope that you can look beyond that and let us start to make amends. I hope to hear from you soon. I wish I had done what was right instead of what was easy.

Your Aunt,

Petunia

Hermione had tears in her eyes as well, as she placed the letter on the study desk and took her husband's hands in hers and gently pulled him up from the chair and gave him a soft kiss before leading him out of the Study and up the stairs to their bedroom.


End file.
